Midnight Watch
by pinkpower
Summary: Bella sighed, letting down her shield so that I could know her thoughts. Everything is happening so fast, Edward. How can we just let her go? Edward watches as Renesmee sleeps. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.**

**Don't like, don't read. Oh, and if you're not in JacobxNessie, this isn't for you.**

**Edward's POV**

Over the years and through the decades of breathing the familiar air of immortality, one cannot expect that he will find a soul mate amongst the vulnerable species of human—especially since most of the strigoi feast upon their blood. Ninety years have I gone without a trace of hope that I would ever find a counterpart for my dead heart. I was not fascinated at all with the notion that the others around me had praised; then again, they all did have someone to love and cherish for the rest of eternity. However, I still had been convinced that I was a demonic, unnatural creature that would take no part in the never-ending heartaches of romance. To simply put it, I was fortunately wrong.

Bella Swan, the unbelievably uncoordinated, courageous girl with the best smelling blood, had captured my heart. She stumbled into my life without as so much as a notice from the family's psychic, Alice. I had the unbearable, unrelenting need to always protect her from any harms that might endanger her life; because, she was my life. The silly thing then told me she wanted to be like me in every way. Naturally, I protested against this, but when she became Bella Cullen and gave birth to our child, putting her very existence at stake, I complied with her wishes.

I remembered that day perfectly. On that day, I was torn between feeling joy and fear at the same time. Bella was becoming a vampire, just like she always wanted, but it seemed that so much was stolen from her. She had changed her mind, deciding that maybe attending college was a good idea after all. Then, we both were shocked to learn that she was pregnant. It felt like so much had been stolen from her on that day, and yet, so much had been given to me. Now, I had a daughter that loved me unconditionally, Bella Cullen could no longer torture me with the floral scent of her blood, and I had forever to spend with these two lovely ladies.

Or so I thought. . .

I watched intently as Renesmee Carlie Cullen slept on her periwinkle-colored mattress in her old room where she slept as a child. She dreamt of being in a beautiful, white dress made of silk and lace, with her bronze hair in tendrils as she walked down an aisle, toward Jacob Black. Renesmee smiled in her sleep, murmuring, "Forever, my Jacob."

My teeth ground together at that, and I inaudibly snarled. _Stupid, undeserving, thieving mongrel with his horrid imprinted connect with _my_ daughter. _

It wasn't fair. Renesmee was only twelve-years of age, and already completely devoted to the mutt. Usually, fathers get sixteen years at the very least to spend with their children, but I only had a measly ten, because right after she was a decade old, she packed up her things and moved in with Jacob. (Her purpose for being here tonight was the fact that Alice forced her, saying that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride within the twenty-four hours before the wedding ceremony.)

Tonight would be the very last night when she would awake from her slumber as Renesmee Cullen. Tomorrow she would take Jacob's last name and be known as Renesmee Carlie Cullen-Black forever. I shuddered at the thought, wondering if Bella would help me with Jacob's murder. After all, she was losing her daughter, too.

_Probably not._

Renesmee stirred with a soft yawn, and I briefly recalled all those times when she had done the very same action as a little girl. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing those beautifully wondrous, milk chocolate orbs that had once belonged to my enchanting wife. She smiled softly, sitting up in her bed.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Renesmee? Is something wrong?" I questioned, at her side within a vampire second.

"No." She replied, sighing happily, her every thought surrounding around Jacob. Her heart skipped a beat in excitement. "I'm just happy."

"My little girl is already being taken away from me by that overgrown stuffed animal." I grimaced, gently stroking her porcelain cheeks.

"Oh, Daddy. It's not like I'm going to get married and forget about my family." Renesmee stated, circling her arms around my neck. "I promise that won't happen. Besides, you'll have bunch of more little monsters to spend time with soon enough."

"WHAT?!"

"Not _that_ soon. Take a chill pill, Daddy." Renesmee giggled at my overexcitement. She kissed my cheek."I love you."

"I love you, too, Nessie." I told her, smiling.

Renesmee couldn't possibly understand the pain of being a parent, who has had to watch their only daughter grow up at such an unsatisfying fast rate, and giving them away to another forever. I now could comprehend how Charlie had felt when he had to endure the obligation of giving Bella away to me all those years ago. But someday, she would. I was sure of that.

First, she and Jacob would unite in ways that I didn't even want to contemplate. Second, Renesmee would the duty of bearing her child while Jacob silently goes insane every step of the way. Finally, she would give birth to a beautiful baby with traits from its parents, of course, which would inevitably make me take on the role of . . . grandfather.

_Does she really have the intention of making become a grandpa at such a young age?_

"Daddy?" Renesmee asked, slightly turning her head to the side like a puppy. _Aha! Proof! She's been spending way too much time with that dog. _"Unlike you, I do need rest. Haven't you heard? I'm getting married tomorrow."

"Yes. Good night." I pressed my lips to her forehead, and she let me go.

"Goodnight," Renesmee yawned, lying back down under her blanket. She soon fell back asleep, aware that I would be watching.

"Edward?" I heard the voice of chiming bells from the ever-so lovely Bella Cullen. Knowing very well what she was up to, I smirked at her in response. "Okay, okay, you caught me."

"Don't I always, love?" I rhetorically questioned her, causing her to glower at me.

"You know what? I'm the one that actually went through a painful rebirth for Renesmee. I should have a say in when she can get married!" She exclaimed as low as she possibly could, trying not to wake up Renesmee.

"And you don't?" Sarcastically, I inquired with a raise of my left eyebrow.

"Obviously not," Bella retorted with a low groan of frustration. "She's _my_ baby."

I nodded in comprehension, and turned my attention back to the sleeping figure within the darkness of her room. Of course, Bella and I could easily distract ourselves, but how many more nights would we spend together love-making compared to ones where we could observe Renesmee _Cullen_ asleep? Bella looked at me with sorrowful ember eyes, and embraced me. If we could cry, we would do so in harmony, I mused.

"It seems like only yesterday when I first held her in my arms," Bella sighed, letting down her shield so that I could know her thoughts. _Everything is happening so fast, Edward. How can we just let her go?_

I pondered this questioned, wondering the same thing myself. After all, I was her father and had every right to object to this wedding; so what had been stopping me this whole time? My answer was shown to me through Renesmee's dreams, which was a remembrance of Jacob's grinning at her as he picked a flower for her; thus, leading to their first kiss, and by the looks of it, it was very chaste.

I looked Bella right in the eyes, "Because Jacob makes her happy."

That's why we would have to let her go. That's why we would have to let Renesmee live her own life. That's why I would walk her down the aisle tomorrow with my head held high and a smile smacked on my face and hand her over to Jacob Black. That's why I didn't just drop by Jacob's home right now for a midnight snack. He made her inexplicably happy, and that's what really mattered.

"I supposed you're right," Bella replied to me. "Just as you make me happy."

"And you make me happy," I kissed her softly on the lips.

"Jacob," Renesmee whispered in her sleep, just like her mother. "My Jacob. Your Nessie. Forever."

I half-smiled to myself. I was gratified for my daughter, but sorry for Bella and me.

_Just remember, Edward—Jacob makes our daughter happy, _I thought to myself.


End file.
